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Political radicalism in Europe joins top US security concerns
AFP
WASHINGTON
Petroleumworld.com 12 28 06Growing political radicalism, notably in Europe, emerged as one of the leading security threats this year for US businesses, schools and non-governmental organizations operating abroad, the State Department said Wednesday.
An end-of-year analysis issued by the department's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) also listed spreading corruption in Africa, the theft of intellectual property in Asia and the continued risk of terrorism in the Middle East as among the top 10 dangers facing US interests around the world.
"Over the past year, OSAC analysts noted a steady increase in political radicalism throughout Europe fueled by Islamist extremism and neo-Nazi-related and other right-wing and nationalist movements," the report said.
"The presence and power of each of these entities increase in 2006," said the analysis, titled "Top 10 Overseas Security Trends for the US Private Sector in 2006."
In the troubled Middle East, the report compiled by the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security said the war between Israel and Lebanon's Islamic militia Hezbollah was the "most significant event of the year" for OSAC.
Thousands of US civilians were evacuated during the July-August conflict, which OSAC said highlighted the need for US organizations operating in the region to "be more forward-thinking in their crisis management and evacuation plans."
Elsewhere in the Middle East, numerous threats, arrests and attempted attacks throughout 2006 "indicated that Gulf countries continue to be at risk from terrorists."
"Attacks on major oil installations in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen this year were thwarted by tight perimeter security and actions taken by guard forces, but the attacks show that the oil industry in the region is still a highly valued target," it said.In Asia, the report highlighted a rapid rise in violations of intellectual property rights due to the growing practice of outsourcing of key activities by US and multinational companies.
"India and China, Asia's two largest players on the international business stage, are countries where the US private sector faced the most intense threat" of intellectual property rights-related commercial losses, it said.
Corruption and violent crime were the biggest risks for US private sector operations in Africa, while Western oil operators in Nigeria's Niger Delta region faced an upsurge in kidnappings, sabotage and other attacks, the report said.
Political violence and civil unrest were cited as major threats in Latin America, where kidnapping "has now become its own cottage industry."
OSAC was established in 1985 to promote security cooperation between the State Department and US business and private sector interests worldwide.
AFP 27 2023 GMT 12 06
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